TRJ Issue #25

The Mighty Ardun Returns
Ardun ohv heads for flathead engines have long been considered among the rarest and most desirable speed parts ever made. We take a look at their history, through close examination of original blueprints, components, and accessories, along with the reproduction Ardun heads available today. Included is studio photography of original and reproduction equipment, along with the carefully restored blown Ardun featured in Tom Senter’s famous “Ardun White Paper” originally published in Rod & Custom back in 1971.

Gasser Wars
We can never get enough of the images and stories from the Gasser era of drag racing. Larry Davis’ Gasser Wars: Drag Racing’s Street Classes: 1955-1968 examines the evolution from street-driven drag strip warriors to fiberglass-bodied racecars. We feature an excerpt from the book, with images of some of our favorites from the era, including Larry Teter’s C/Gas Deuce Vicky, Bob Bernardon’s “Jolly Dolly” ’39 Chevy, “Ohio George” Montgomery’s ’33 Willys, Barb Hamilton’s ’37 Willys, and others.

Summer Time
John Babcock’s stunning ’40 Merc custom is the result of collaboration between some of the most respected names in customizing. It was inspired by the Jimmy Summers Merc, designed by Harry Bentley Bradley, and built by noted craftsman Donn Lowe. It combines modern underpinnings with timeless, traditional custom styling to create what can only be described as a modern classic.

Culture Clash
Tucked beneath the glitz and glamour of most large indoor car shows these days, you’ll find a room, hall, or basement dedicated to sometimes scrappy, often unfinished, always retro-tinged rods and customs. We took a look in the basement of San Francisco’s Cow Palace during the San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle Show and captured a host of throw-back cars.

Early Times Scrapbook
The Early Times car club, formed in 1965, boasts a roster that includes some of the most well-known cars and names in hot rodding. Our story explains the history of the club, including excerpts from interviews with Tom and Bill Booth, Jim “Jake” Jacobs, and Danny Eichstedt, and features photography from rod runs, car shows, and the famed Early Times Picnics. Included are Jake’s coupe, Richard Graves’ ’26 T Touring, Dan Woods’ Ice Truck, Greg Sharp’s Deuce pickup, Don Thelen’s Deuce Vicky, Dick Rundell’s Ardun-powered roadster, and dozens of others.

Nostalgia Dragsters for the Street
Automotive artist Steve Stanford has always had a fertile imagination when it comes to hot rods and customs. In TRJ #25, Steve explores the possibilities of putting blown, injected dragsters, Gassers, Altereds, and FX racers on the street.

Jim Perkins: An American Story
The story of hot rodder Jim Perkins embodies the industrious nature inherent in much of the rodding community. He grew up building and racing cars, rose from an entry-level position at a Dallas Chevrolet office to General Manager of the entire company, and amassed an impressive collection of Chevy ground pounders along the way. In addition to vintage images from his teenage years around cars, we feature his ’38 Chevy coupe, ’56 Chevy Bel Air sedan, and ’57 Bel Air Sport Coupe.

Ford Power!
We take a look at the speed equipment and dress-up parts available for the other smallblock in our “Ford Power!” feature and pictorial. Ford’s smallblock Windsor engines pack a powerful punch, and they’ve got a performance pedigree of their own that makes them an outstanding choice for hot rodders.

The Jim Deist Story
In a sport based on the pursuit of speed, Jim Deist championed the art of doing it safely. From his parachutes to fire suits and safety harnesses, Deist helped revolutionize hot rodding by saving lives.